Discover the steel-manufacturing village of the “Forges des Salles” as it was in the 19th century, the blast furnace, school, the bosses’ house and the stables.

This steel-manufacturing village is the finest example of industrial heritage in the Côtes d'Armor department, and of everyday life in a forge village during the 18th and 19th centuries, completely focused on the blast furnace. Situated in the Quénécan forest, just 30 minutes from Le Deran, this site was once one of the largest wood-fired forges in Brittany. Since 1990, it has been possible to visit this exceptionally well preserved village, alone or with a guide: here, nothing has changed since production came to a halt in 1877. The visit takes you to the very heart of the industrial installations (the coal stores, the 12m high cast iron blast furnace), from the “bosses’ house” to the workers’ and foremen’s dwellings, the canteen, the grocer’s shop, the mixed-sex school (unusual for the times), the stables, the chapel, the terraced gardens etc.Open every afternoon in July & August.http://www.lesforgesdessalles.fr/

Combine this visit with a walk round the Lac de Guerledan.A rare event is taking place in 2015: The Lac de Guerlédan is to be drained between April and November. The Lac de Guerledan is the largest lake in Brittany – it’s an artificial lake and was first flooded around 1930 for electricity production and fresh water supply. In the past it was drained every 10 years or so, but modern maintenance procedures have rendered this unnecessary for the last 30 years – that is until 2015.The lake is now drained and a spectacular drowned valley revealed once more, and probably for the last time for many years as they intend to make it possible to repair the turbines without draining in future.The whole 10 km long lake now reveals its hidden depths (literally). At the bottom runs the Nantes-Brest canal with 17 locks and associated lock-houses seen for the first time for a generation.The lake will start refilling in November by the natural flow of the Blavet. It will take between six weeks and two months to refill depending on rainfall.

We visited the lake today, and took some photos...

And don't forget to visit the Bon Repos Abbey and stay for the sound and light show in the evening;http://www.bonrepos.fr/en/